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Anyone who insists that racism plays no part in today's political discourse is not just disingenuous, but a fucking asshole, to boot:

Investors' Business Daily, a business newspaper widely viewed as having a conservative editorial page, decided to dip its toes into racial politics over the weekend with a political cartoon about the case of Trayvon Martin. But instead of presenting a valid criticism of the negative reactions to George Zimmerman's not guilty verdict, the publication invoked lynchings — one of the great tragedies committed against Black Americans — to try to make its point.

I'm not going to link to the cartoon, because it is so fucking offensive. As one of the commenters at Think Progress notes: "I love when people use lynching in a context to criticize something even though back in the day they would have been okay with lynching."

I'm speechless.

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Guns! Guns! Guns! -Upon hearing that the Justice Department is placing a hold on all evidence in the case, including the pistol teen hunting enthusiastGeorge Zimmermanused to kill unarmed Skittles fanTrayvon Martin, the Buckeye Firearms Foundation announced that it is raising money to buy the former neighborhood stalker a new gun. (Livewire)

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A huge jailbreak by Al Qaeda in Iraq releases hundreds -- if not more than 1,000 -- inmates from Abu Ghraib in Iraq. ThinkProgress's Hayes Brown has a good take on the story.

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A CNN contributor say Kate Middleton is "brilliant" for being able to give birth to a boy. "There are women throughout British royal family history that have panicked over not being able to deliver a boy, and here we are, Kate did it first time," said Victoria Arbiter -- as if this is something you can choose to do with enough effort, willpower, and gritty can-do spirit.

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A glimmer of good news in the War on Women today as a federal judge has temporarily blocked North Dakota's ban on abortions after just six weeks before some women even know they're pregnant.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A federal judge has temporarily blocked a new North Dakota law that bans abortion when a fetal heartbeat is detected — as early as six weeks into pregnancy. [...]

"There is no question that (the North Dakota law) is in direct contradiction to a litany of United States Supreme Court cases addressing restraints on abortion," Hovland wrote. " (It) is clearly an invalid and unconstitutional law based on the United States Supreme Court precedent in Roe v. Wade from 1973 … and the progeny of cases that have followed."

Is a direct challenge to Roe vs. Wade on the way?

It seems likely, however I believe anti-choice opponents should be careful what they wish for. I'm skeptical that the Supreme Court would overturn the ruling and I believe they may even decline to hear the case, instead relying on the ruling of lower courts. Whether that's a good or bad thing could depend entirely on where you live.